Friday, April 27, 2012

On Friday's I share a song that caught my attention. A line or lyric that made me stop and think, inspired me, or caused me to see something in a new way. I hope you'll play along and share songs that inspired you.

Don't let the title of this post fool you, this week's song isn't by Springsteen, instead it is a song called Springsteen by Eric Church that celebrates the power of music to take you back:

"Funny how a melody sounds like a memory."

Don't you love it when a song comes on and you are instantly transported back to another time? That song they played during your first slow dance with someone you loved or even the song you listened to over and over after a sad break up?

What songs take you back?

I'm hitting the road again, so I may disappear for a bit. I hope you have an amazing weekend and first week of May.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

This post is probably more for my mom than anyone else. She always likes to be able to see where her chicks live, so one Sunday I took a walk in my neighborhood in Istanbul and took a few photos to give her a tour. The neighborhood I live in roughly translates to: houses with gardens.

That may have been true back when the area was created, but now it is more 4-5 story buildings full of apartments/flats with fenced in courtyards and maybe a little piece of grass. The photo above is part of the bricked sidewalk and the shadow from the fence surrounding one of the courtyards on my block.

We do most of our grocery shopping at a Carrefour a couple of blocks from home (which conveniently sets next to a crazy-busy Starbucks), on weekends these guys set up tables a sale on a busy intersection just a block from the market.

This fruit vendor is just around the corner from us and he's always there. 7 days a week at all hours, there has never been a time I've walked by and he hasn't be sitting there. The fruits in his truck change with the season, but the truck and the man are always there.

Kat turned me on to Ed Sheeran this week and I've been listening to him a LOT - here's his Wayfaring Stranger.

Monday, April 23, 2012

I don't know about you, but I'm struggling to get going today, so while I try and get my life organised for a busy last week at home, here are a few photos I took in Sultanahmet (the old city) in Istanbul. I'm always amazed at how diverse and thriving this area is.

I took this photo, trying to get a good look at the MASSIVE crowd walking down the street - but I took it by holding my camera above my head (the street is a hill so I need the extra height) and didn't zoom in enough, but if you squint you can still see the mass of humanity we had to weave our way through.

A quiet street just outside the grand bazaar, it is quickly becoming my team's go to spot when we are shopping and need to stop for a drink and treat before we continue our bargaining.

How was your weekend? Are you having as hard a time as I am letting go of it today and getting back to work?

Friday, April 20, 2012

On Friday's I share a song that caught my attention. A line or lyric that made me stop and think, inspired me, or caused me to see something in a new way. I hope you'll play along and share songs that inspired you.

I finally got around to watching the series finale of One Tree Hill. I'll admit it isn't the smartest show on television, but somehow it lasted 9 years, and for most of those years I've followed along. It has had some of the craziest story lines on TV (a dog eating a heart scheduled for transplant....) but at its core it was all about some pretty amazing relationships.

I've tried to figure out why I love this show so much and came up with three reason: its small town setting (I grew up in a small town), its focus on sports (I have a career in sports), its amazing soundtrack (I think having a great soundtrack is essential not just to TV shows but to life.)

The show ended (as it began each week) with a great song from Gavin DeGraw: I Don't Want to Be. It had been a long time since I actually stopped and listened the lyrics, but I am so glad I did, because honestly, they are genius and the kind of lyrics we need to listen to on those days we start doubting ourselves.

I don't want to be

Anything other than what I've been trying to be lately

All I have to do

Is think of me and I have peace of mind

I'm tired of looking 'round rooms

Wondering what I've got to do

Or who I'm supposed to be

I don't want to be anyone other than me

Are you a One Tree Hill fan? Did you love the finale as much as I did?

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

I've been back home in Utah for a few days now, I'm finally back on the right time zone (which means I'm ready to hit the late show for Hunger Games, sis!)

In Utah I live in a very quiet suburb - up away from the regular noise of the city. In Istanbul, while I don't live in the center of the city, I live in a busy area, and in the path of the airport (notice the plane above flying over my apartment. So I'm always either getting used to sleeping through the noise of Istanbul or the quiet of home. It usually just takes me a day or two to adjust (thanks to doing this back and forth thing a lot of the last 6 years, between home, Rio, Delhi and now Istanbul.)

I used to rely on earplugs in the city, or when the weather is warm a fan or air conditioner, but now I can almost even sleep through the planes and call to prayer in Istanbul even when I'm sleeping with the window open. I can't decide whether it is proof our bodies can and do adapt to the lives we choose to live or if I'm just lucky. Note: when I say I can sleep through things, that only happens after I fall asleep, insomnia and I hang out a little too often for my liking.

What about you - do you find it hard to adjust to a different sleeping environment? What strategies do you use to make the adjustment easier?

Do you have favorite music you listen to when you are trying to sleep? My favorite is the soundtrack to Pride & Prejudice (the Keira Knightly version.) Including this amazing piece by Jean-Yves Thibaudet: Dawn.
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Monday, April 16, 2012

Istanbul's historic Sirkeci Train Station was once home to the Orient Express, and while I'm not up on all of the history of the station, it was a must see for one of my colleagues so when he wanted to wander through, I grabbed my camera and tagged along.

We considered eating at the restaurant - but I have a rule about eating in a place that is almost empty during prime dining time so we moved on....

Aren't the windows amazing! Why isn't stained glass used more often?

At first I was disappointed that two of the lights were burned out - making this photo less than what I saw in my head before I took it. Now I've decided I like the realism and imperfection the dark globes bring.

When was the last time you traveled by train? It is rare to the point of non-existant in my part of the US - but I use them frequently in Europe and find I enjoy that mode of travel. I even love sitting at a cafe in a train station and people watching.

It's been a while since one of my all-time favorites, Amos Lee, made an appearance on the blog. But his "Night Train" is the perfect choice for this post.

Friday, April 13, 2012

On Fridays I share a song that made me stop and think. A lyric that made me suddenly realize something new, inspired me, or caused me to look at something differently.

This week's song came to me courtesy of the amazing Christianna, aka The Girl With the Blue Bow. Christianna has an amazing job in the music industry and is using her blog to help some amazing new bands get their music heard. Last week she featured The History of Painters and their song, Blue Dress.

I fell for the band and song in a big way - they are brilliant. But it was this line I kept hearing in my head as I wandered through the streets of the Old City:

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The market around the New Mosque was just closing up as we walked past, people were stil lingering and getting in a few last purchases while the vendors packed up at the end of what must have been a long day.

I'm still adjusting to the number of small markets that make up every neighborhood here in Istanbul. Don't get me wrong, they have large American style shopping malls to - but when I shop there I forget I'm some place new.

I prefer the little markets when I'm looking for an experience and not just a quick tube of toothpaste and I'm looking forward to discovering more of them now that the weather is getting better and the days longer.

I dare you to listen to the Lumineer's Ho Hey and not feel like singing along.
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Monday, April 9, 2012

This weekend finally brought a bit of time away from the office. I hit the Old City both Friday and Saturday - I wandered around just enough that the maze of streets is starting to make a tiny bit of sense.

Friday we were at the New Mosque (new, as in built in 1700 instead of earlier....) just as the sun was starting to drop down and was sitting behind one of the minarets.

We were back again on Saturday - this time after dark. We'd been to see a whirling dervishes show and wandered down to the waterfront looking for someplace to eat dinner. The whirling dervishes show was a cool experience - not quite what I expected, but I'm glad I can say I've been. I left the theatre feeling slightly dizzy and I wasn't the one spinning in circles for 30 minutes. I honestly don't know how they do it.

Istanbul does an amazing job of lighting the mosques and monuments in the city. So even after dark you can see their beauty.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

In an attempt to get back to one of my great loves (and the original inspiration for this blog) on Fridays I'm sharing a song I heard during the week where the lyrics made me stop and think. A lyric that made me suddenly realize something new, inspired me to change or look at something differently.

I couldn't help but think of how many times in life I haven't recognized the difference in what I want and what I need. The song made me grateful for my faith in a God who know and loves me and sometimes doesn't answer those prayers I send up for things I want - but which He knows are really not what I need.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

On my last day of vacation here, I looked out and realized the tree in my back yard was blooming. I grabbed my camera and started shooting. Is there anything that beats that first glimpse of spring?

Last week the trees started blooming in Istanbul as well - I'm enjoying experiencing the early stages of spring twice in one year. The world just feels more hopeful when the days are longer, people come out of hibernation and the flowers start blooming.

Has spring arrived in your neighborhood yet?

Like the spring flowers, this song brightens my day. Elizaveta - Dreamer.

Monday, April 2, 2012

In mid-February, after several months of working 80-90 hour weeks, my project was getting very close to the deadline. We were all exhausted, but moved operations from Istanbul to Lausanne and kept pushing through several more days and got the material to the printer. After we hit the send button, I looked around and realized I had absolutely nothing to do, so I left the office (before dark for the first time in more than 3 months) and headed up the hill in Lausanne to treat myself to some macaroons.

My first experience with macaroons happened last fall on another trip to Switzerland when I discovered they had an outlet of the famous French shop Laudree, and I decided it was about time I learned what the fuss was all about.

My biggest problem was picking just four flavors, but I stayed strong, made my selection and brought my little blue box home to photograph - because isn't that what everyone does?

Is it embarrassing to admit that this little blue box is now my jewelry box when I travel? It is the perfect size and always makes me smile when I see it.

Every detail is perfect, the box, ribbon, sticker. It is one of the places where you pay not just for the sweet but for the experience.

Looking at this photo I think next time I'll chose flavors to make the box more colorful with more contrast - but I was buying strictly for flavor on this trip. My favorite flavors so far? Salted Caramel and Lemon.

And now that I've shared my macaroon adventure, I find myself craving something sweet. I also discovered there is a Laudree outlet in Istanbul.....good thing I'm back to working those 80+ hour weeks or my waist and pocketbook would be in big trouble.

Have you tried macaroons? Better yet, have you figured out how to make them?